The Emesinae, or thread-legged bugs, are a subfamily of the Reduviidae. They are conspicuously different from the other reduviids by their very slender body form. They are stalking, predatory insects that can be collected on palm fronds, cliffs, spider webbing, or near lights at night. They walk on their mid and hind legs; the front pair is raptorial. Some groups specialize on spiders. Very little is known about emesines except that many species are found in the tropics. Pedro Wygodzinsky wrote the most recent revision of this group.
Ploiaria is a cosmopolitan genus of thread-legged bugs (Emesinae). There are presently about 130 described species.
Stenolemus is a genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae). Species of this genus are noted for preying on spiders.
Gardena is a genus of thread-legged bugs in the subfamily Emesinae. It is the second-largest genus in the tribe Emesini. Presently there are 46 described species.
Ploiariolini is a tribe of thread-legged bugs, comprising 16 genera and 142 described species. Ploiariolini has a worldwide distribution.
Bagauda is a genus of thread-legged bug within the subfamily Emesinae, consisting of 18 known species. Many species in this genus are associated with caves, with some being exclusively cave-dwelling. Bagauda is synonymous with the genus Pleias Kirkaldy, 1901, but Bagauda has become more commonly used. The genus is restricted to the Old World tropics.
Polauchenia is a genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae). Only five species have been described.
Empicoris is a cosmopolitan genus of thread-legged bug (Emesinae). Numerous species have been described.
Barce is a genus of thread-legged bugs in the family Reduviidae. There are about six described species in Barce.
Onychomesa is a little-known genus of thread-legged bug in the subfamily Emesinae. Three species have been described, one from India, Japan, and Taiwan.
The Collartidini is a tribe of thread-legged bugs restricted to Africa, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Wygodzinsky (1966) proposed that this group is the sister group of the remaining Emesinae.
The Reduviinae are a subfamily of the reduviid assassin bugs. Many members of the subfamily are nocturnal and their lifecycles are generally poorly known. This subfamily is suspected not to be monophyletic.
Pseudometapterus is a little-known genus of thread-legged bug in the subfamily Emesinae. Members of the genus occur in North America and usually have wings that are extremely small or absent entirely, though a winged form of P. umbrosus is known from Southern Illinois.
Proguithera is a genus of thread-legged bug in the Emesinae. This genus forms a group with two other genera, Guithera and Lutevula. The relationship between the group is unclear at the moment.
Saicella is a genus of assassin bugs endemic to Hawaii. There are currently six species in the genus. Saicella's taxonomic position is uncertain, with characters similar to both the Saicinae and Emesinae subfamilies.
Saicinae is a subfamily of the family Reduviidae, or the assassin bugs.
Stenolemus alikakay is a species of assassin bug, family Reduviidae. It was first found in a spider web at Shanping Forest Ecological Science Park, Taiwan. It has later also been found on Ishigaki Island, the Ryukyu Islands, Japan.
Schidium is a large genus within the subfamily Emesinae, distributed in the Palaearctic, Afrotropical, Oriental, and Australian Regions.
Oncerotrachelus is a genus of assassin bugs in the family Reduviidae. There are about 14 described species in Oncerotrachelus.
Canopus is a genus of Neotropical bugs with about six species that form the family Canopidae. Bugs in the family Canopidae are small and have a convex lady-bird beetle like shape and are thought to be fungus feeders. The scutellum completely covers the abdomen and wings. The antennae are five segmented.
